City of Auburn ends Flock contract: 'We messed up'
A Flock Safety license plate reader is mounted at the corner of Bradford and Owasco streets in Auburn.
AUBURN — The Auburn City Council on Thursday voted unanimously to end a four-year, $120,000 contract with Flock Safety for cameras, specifically automated license plate readers that were posted at different points of the city.
Auburn Mayor Jimmy Giannettino acknowledged the city erred when it did not vote to accept a $122,500 state Law Enforcement Technology, or LETECH, grant in 2024. Former Auburn Police Chief James Slayton secured those funds, but a resolution was never brought to the City Council to officially accept the money.
The Auburn Police Department used the LETECH grant to enter into a contract with Flock Safety for 10 automated license plate reader cameras. Flock has been criticized for its use of artificial intelligence and residents have raised other issues, including privacy concerns and whether the company shares its data with federal immigration authorities.Â
While some councilors shared those concerns, others focused on the process of securing the grant and using those funds to enter into a multi-year contract with Flock.
"The biggest thing was we messed up," Giannettino said. "A step was missed."
The Auburn Police Department's use of Flock cameras drew criticism after Matthew Androsko, the city's police chief, revealed the deployment of the automated license plate readers during his 2025 annual report in March.
Androsko defended the use of the cameras by highlighting crimes that were solved or missing people who were found after the department identified vehicles associated with those cases.
But residents and other opponents who spoke at City Council meetings worried about their privacy and the use of AI technology to fight crime.
Auburn City Councilor Terry Cuddy, who was one of the leading proponents for ending the Flock contract, recognized it's a "difficult issue" for the city and residents. But he also believes that terminating the agreement is the best path forward.Â
"I think we're doing the right thing," Cuddy said.
Although Auburn City Councilor Craig Diego voted to end the contract, he criticized the city's approach. An issue he raised is that Flock was not invited to send a representative for a presentation at the City Council meeting.
"It's a horrible precedent," Diego said.
For Diego, the biggest problem was the procurement process. The City Council did not accept the grant. But he also questioned why it took the council months to act when it could've ended the Flock contract and selected another vendor.
One of the consequences of the Flock situation played out during the City Council meeting on Thursday. Before the Flock vote, the council voted to apply for another LETECH grant. The city could receive up to $250,000 through the program.
Androsko mentioned the last time the city received a LETECH grant, it was used for "something else" — the Flock cameras — but he had a different plan for the funds this year. The department wants to replace its drones and obsolete radios, with the latter being a top priority.
He briefly mentioned the possibility of using funds to buy in-car cameras, but acknowledged those might be too expensive.
Despite Androsko's comments, Cuddy and Auburn City Councilor Dr. Rhoda Overstreet-Wilson questioned him about the cameras. The chief reiterated that the department would likely not be able to afford the cameras with the LETECH grant, since other equipment — namely, radios — would be a priority. But Overstreet-Wilson requested an itemized list of the equipment that Androsko and APD would buy with the LETECH grant.
That discussion led to another about the method for accepting the grant. The resolution presented to council was to apply for the LETECH grant and accept any funds awarded by the state. Cuddy made a motion to amend the resolution removing language that authorizes the city to accept the funding. Instead, he prefers a resolution to accept the funding after it is awarded by the state.
The vote on the amendment was split, with Giannettino casting the deciding vote in favor of its passage. Auburn City Councilor Christina Calarco and Diego opposed the measure. Calarco believes the council should be "fair and consistent" with how it handles grants. Diego added that every grant should be dealt with the same way.
Later in the meeting, Giannettino addressed the debate over the grant acceptance policy and said it would be revisited after Labor Day.
The City Council unanimously approved the LETECH grant application, which Androsko said is due in September.
Auburn Police Chief Matthew Androsko provides an overview of how his department uses stationary Flock cameras that are posted in different par…
Government reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on X @RobertHarding.
